HONOURING OUR STARS

THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST FROM THROUGHOUT KERRY ARE HONOURED BY COUNTY COUNCIL

HIGH achievers and heroes – both groups and individuals – were the toast of the Rose Hotel in Tralee last Thursday night at a Kerry County Council [KCC] annual awards ceremony honouring those who, to quote KCC Cathaoirleach Norma Foley, reflect the many strengths of a great county.

A total of 25 groups or individuals received awards at the gala ceremony, including six who each picked up a Kerry County Council Annual Award. The other 19 winners received recognition from one of the county’s four municipal districts – Killarney; Listowel; South and West Kerry; and Tralee – with Councillors Niall Kelleher, Mike Kennelly, Norma Moriarty, and Graham Spring on hand to represent their districts.

Some of the winners – such as the Kerry Minor footballers, who last year completed a unique five-in-a-row in the underage grade – would have been well-known to the entire county. Some others would be made up of not-so-familiar faces, but their achievements and selflessness meant they were no less worthy of recognition.

Aside from the Kerry minors, another county team, our Under-21 hurlers, received a county award for a repeat success of their own; they won their second All-Ireland B Championship in succession in 2018.

Another sporting achievement of Kerry’s may not have been so well-known, but was certainly worthy of recognition. The county had five members who represented Ireland in Poland at last year’s Halliwick Games, a competition based on the Halliwick approach, which teaches all people, in particular those with physical and learning difficulties, to participate in water activities. Luke O’Donoghue won gold in the 100 metres, while Aoife Healy took bronze in the 25 metres, but Kerry was also represented by Cian Begley, Nathan Guerin, and Cian Horgan.

The awards also noted significant milestones for two important groups: Friends of University Hospital Kerry has been supporting the county’s main hospital for 30 years, while Knocknagoshel Halloween Group has spent 25 years fundraising for county, national, and international charities.

The last of the six county awards went to a mainstay of the Kerry cultural calendar. Listowel Writers’ Week’s contribution to the county has been noted many times before, and this was again the case on Thursday as the group was rewarded for winning the ‘Best Irish Festival’ at the 2018 Irish Hospitality Awards.

“The wide range of recipients here tonight is reflective of a wide diversity of sectors and reflects the strengths of our great county,” Cathaoirleach Norma Foley said.

“We are also saying congratulations on each of your respective achievements – whether it’s on the stage, on the field of play, raising funds, building community facilities, hosting festivals, or providing supports to people in need, we as the members of Kerry County Council are immensely proud of your successes and achievements.”

THE WIDE RANGE OF RECIPIENTS HERE TONIGHT... REFLECTS THE STRENGTHS OF OUR GREAT COUNTY

Walsh. Photos by Domnick The BlackBelt Martial Arts members honoured with a Tralee Municipal District Award in The Rose Hotel on Thursday night.

Cllr Niall Kelleher presents a prize to Scór Officer Eileen Ahern.

Photos by Domnick Walsh Cathaoirleach Norma Foley presents to Kerry members of Irish Team at the Haliwick Games. LEFT, INSET: Maureen and Maryanne Fleming with Mary O’Brien.

Photos by Domnick Walsh. Cllr Norma Moriarty and Don Myers, who represented Nagle Rice Community Group.

Cllr Mike Kennelly presents an award to Isabel Shaw.

Photos by Domnick Walsh. Cllr Mike Kennelly honours Paul Donegan.

Photos by Domnick Walsh. Cllr Norma Moriarty (centre) with Jennifer and Mike Flaherty, accepting on behalf of Tom Murphy.